Monday, October 28, 2002

X-MEN SEQUEL UPDATE

The X-Men sequel will see the characters show up in several "real-world" settings, including a museum, production designer Guy Dyas said.

"We took a location here and basically turned it into a really extensive museum for the film," Dyas said during a recent display of design sketches at the X² production offices in Vancouver, British Columbia. "That's sort of an interesting environment there. Again, it was another opportunity for the X-Men to interact with the real world, to take them outside and get them interacting with other people."

Another of the "real-world" sets will be the Drake residence, where Wolverine, Rogue, Iceman and Pyro show up.

In other X-Men news:

* Entertainment Tonight will be profiling X-Men 2 on Monday. Included in a preview of the spot are scenes from the aforementioned museum with Storm, Wolverine during an invasion of the X-Mansion, Pyro's fire powers in action and a confrontation between Cyclops and Lady Deathstrike.

Click on the thumbnails below for larger images from the ET promotional spot.

* For the two parts of The Continuum's transcription of the recent X² press conference, CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE.

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN MOVIE UPDATE

AMC will take a look at the upcoming League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie this week.

The movie's production in Prague will be featured Access on AMC, which will air on Friday at 10 p.m.

Promotional spots for the special aired over the weekend on AMC, showing League of Extraordinary Gentlemen star Sean Connery, who plays Alan Quartermain, as well as the makeup for Mr. Hyde.

(Editor's Note: Fox has requested removal of the screencaps that were previously published).

AVATAR PRESS FOR JANUARY

STATIC SHOCK UPDATE

Kids' WB! has released an outline for the upcoming third season of Static Shock, which will include a new costume for Static and Richie Foley becoming a hero known as Gear.

Here's how the network describes the season:

"In the third season, Virgil continues to patrol the streets and the skies of Dakota for any signs of danger - with a newly designed costume … and a new partner. His best friend Richard has noticed some changes taking place … his brain goes into overdrive as he begins to develop his own meta-human powers. Assuming the guise of Gear - a techno-whiz super-hero - Richie is loaded with high-tech crime-stopping tools.

"This new justice-enforcing duo will need all of their meta-skills as they tackle some of their most challenge opponents yet. Static and Gear will face adversaries near and far, including a trip to South Africa, where Static encounters an ancient African hero, as well as confrontations closer to home with new and old meta-humans, infamous villains and classic super-heroes.

"Unfortunately, begin the city's most famous hero does have its drawbacks. Virgil must deal with a pesky older sister and keep his father from discovering his super-secret - all while trying to master and refine his electromagnetic energies and powers."

The creative crew for the third season includes Sander Schwartz as executive producer, Alan Burnett as supervising producer, Denys Cowan and Swinton Scott as producers, Bobbie Page as associate producer, John Semper as story editor, Linda Steiner and Michael Diaz as creative executives and Cown, Dave Chylstek and Joe Sichta as animation directors.

FIRST LOOK: PUNISHER #17

Punisher #17 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by Garth Ennis, with art by Steve Dillon and cover by Timothy Bradstreet.

Here's how Marvel describes the issue:

"One has a skull printed on his shirt. The other -- thanks to a shotgun blast
by the former -- now has a skull for a face. Together -- in Punisher #16 --
they had one of the most violent "super hero fights" in recent memory. Pick up the continuation of their adventure in Punisher #17."

Punisher #17 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.99.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: JINGLE BELLE WINTER WINGDING

Jingle Belle Winter Wingding arrives in stores on Nov. 13 from Oni Press. The issue is by Paul Dini, Stephen DeStefano Tony Cervone and Spike Brandt, with a cover by Chynna Clugston-Major.

Here's how Oni describes the issue:

"It's Paul Dini's annual Christmas celebration, and he's invited Santa's bratty daughter again. Jingle Belle may be the coolest thing in the North Pole, but that's sort of like being the handsomest guy in comics. This means a life filled with ho-ho-humdrum, so what's a girl to do but stir up a little trouble? Makes it hard, though, when Mrs. Claus sits down to write her yearly holiday letter. How does one sugarcoat her daughter's many arrests, mishaps, and hang-ups? And she's got plenty to explain this year when Jing starts an all-girl band with Tashi, Polly Green, and Texas supergal Ida Red. The main story is by Dini and Warner Bros. animators Tony Cervone and Spike Brandt, with an eight-page Santa Claus story by original Jingle Belle artist Stephen DeStefano."

Jingle Belle Winter Wingding will be 32 pages and will cost $2.95.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

FIRST LOOK: THE HAT SQUAD

The Hat Squad will arrive in stores in December from Moonstone Books. The issue is written by Jay Faerber, with art by Eric Younge.

Here's how Moonstone describes the book:

"Four tough cops who deliver justice their way on the streets of Chandler's LA! When actress Sheila Rivers calls The Squad because she fears a hit has been put out for her, they blow her off as a flake who watches too many Edward G. Robinson movies. When she ends up murdered, they snap, and put a heat on the city's underworld that would make the devil burn."

The Hat Squad will be 48 black-and-white pages and will cost $5.50.

GIVE'EM A CLICK

BRIEFLY

Kids' WB! has released four promotional images from X-Men: Evolution. Click on the thumbnails for larger images.